Lobelia plant named ‘Crimson Princess’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Crimson Princess’, characterized by its upright and compact plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; dark red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Lobelia speciosa.

Cultivar denomination: ‘CRIMSON PRINCESS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobeliaplant, botanically known as Lobelia speciosa and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Crimson Princess’.

The new Lobelia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Langford, Maldon, Essex, United Kingdom.The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact anduniform Lobelia plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Lobelia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 2008 of two proprietary seedling selections of Lobeliaspeciosa, not patented. The new Lobelia plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environmentin Langford, Maldon, Essex, United Kingdom in 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the Lobelia plant by vegetative cuttings inHillegom, The Netherlands since the summer of 2009 has shown that theunique features of this new Lobelia plant are stable and reproduced trueto type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lobelia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Crimson Princess’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Crimson Princess’ as a newand distinct Lobelia plant:

-   -   1. Upright and compact plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Dark red purple-colored flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ primarily, from plants of the parentselections in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia are more compact than plants of the        parent selections.    -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia grow more uniformly than plants of        the parent selections.    -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia have darker-colored leaves than        plants of the parent selections.    -   4. Plants of the new Lobelia are more freely flowering than        plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Lobelia can be compared to plants of Lobelia speciosa‘Fan Scarlet’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inLangford, Maldon, Essex, United Kingdom, plants of the new Lobeliadiffered from plants of ‘Fan Scarlet’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were more compact than plants of        ‘Fan Scarlet’.    -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia grew more uniformly than plants of        ‘Fan Scarlet’.    -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia and ‘Fan Scarlet’ differed in leaf        color.    -   4. Plants of the new Lobelia were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Fan Scarlet’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Lobelia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Lobelia plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Crimson Princess’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and following descriptionwere grown during the summer in ground beds in an outdoor nursery inVogelenzang, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical ofcommercial Lobelia production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 16° C. to 28° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom 8° C. to 18° C. Plants were two years old when the photograph andthe description were taken. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia speciosa ‘Crimson Princess’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling            selection of Lobelia speciosa, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling            selection of Lobelia speciosa, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—In vitro propagation.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright and            compact plant habit; freely basal branching habit with about            five primary flowering stems each with about four lateral            branches developing; relatively short internodes; dense and            bushy plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 76 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 31 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 30.8 cm. Diameter:            About 4.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.8 cm. Strength:            Strong, flexible. Aspect: Mostly upright to about 10° from            vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 8.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute to long acuminate.        -   Base.—Long and narrowly cuneate.        -   Margin.—Irregularly dentate to serrate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            slightly leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to between            143B and 144A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to            143C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;            venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement, habit and shape.—Single flowers arranged            in terminal racemes; flowers held slightly upright to            outwardly; freely flowering habit with typically 28 flowers            per inflorescence and about 275 flowers developing per            plant; flowers bilabiate with two free smaller upper petals            and three partially-fused lower petals.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 29.4 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.2 cm.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—In The Netherlands, plants of the            new Lobelia flower continuously from early spring to late            summer; plants begin flowering about 13 weeks after            planting.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual            flowers is highly dependent on temperature, flowers            typically last about ten days on the plant; flowers not            persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.5 cm by 3.7 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Shape: Oblong with a club-shaped apex. Color: Mid-section,            close to 64A; towards the apex, close to 59B and 60A;            towards the base, close to 64C.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Single whorl of five            petals fused towards the base; two smaller free upper petals            and three partially-fused lower petals; all petals fused            into a tube towards the base. Length: About 3.9 mm. Width,            upper petals: About 4 mm. Width, lower petals: About 9 mm.            Shape: Narrowly spatulate. Apex: Acute to narrowly acute.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening, upper surface: Close to 59B; throat, close to            between 63A and 64D. When opening, lower surface: Close to            59B; tube, close to 59B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close            to 59A to 59B; throat, close to 61A; color does not fade            with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 59B;            tube, close to 59A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Single whorl of five            sepals, fused at the base; calyx, campanulate. Length: About            1.6 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly            acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143C; towards the apex,            tinged with close to 177A. Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to between 146B and 147A; towards the apex,            tinged with close to 177A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 26.1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Aspect:            About 10° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately strong,            flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to N186C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Filament length: About 2.1 cm. Filament color: Close to 61A.            Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong.            Anther color: Close to 200A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 20B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 2.4 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-lobate. Stigma            color: Close to 152C. Style length: About 2.2 cm. Style            color: Close to 153D; towards the base, tinged with close to            61D. Ovary color: Close to 152A.        -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been            observed on plants of the new Lobelia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain, high    temperatures about 40° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lobelia plant named ‘CrimsonPrincess’ as illustrated and described.